


so you want to name your intelligence agency

by kyrilu



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 12:37:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3692580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrilu/pseuds/kyrilu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A defining moment in history. It's not necessarily elegant, but the end product is there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	so you want to name your intelligence agency

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this gifset.](http://tonystarking.tumblr.com/post/85256931845/hill-what-does-s-h-i-e-l-d-stand-for-agent-ward)

She starts out with a pen, in careful print:

_Homeland Organization of Worldwide Logistics and Intelligence Gathering (HOWLING)_

“Isn’t that a bit redundant, Miss Carter?” Jarvis asks, peering over her shoulder. He has a tray of two tea cups in his hands, and the steam rises to his face. “‘Organization’ and ‘logistics’ nearly amount to the same thing.”

“Hmm,” she says, “true. And it is quite long.” Peggy scratches that one out. She takes one of the tea cups, blows on it, and nods a thank-you, still musing over the piece of paper.

“Why not keep SSR?” Jarvis suggests. “It serves its purpose as the original name, and I imagine Mr. Philips would be pleased that he wouldn’t have to have paperwork changed and all that other bureaucratic odds and ends.”

“No,” Peggy says, firmly. “I feel as if we need…a fresh start. A new name would be symbolic, or perhaps prophetic. I’m not superstitious myself, but I think it would be significant. We would be changing the name to show that we’ve changed our leadership and that we’re not the same organization as before.”

She tries: _Special Trust on the National Exterior (STNX)_

Jarvis raises a brow. “STNX?”

“Station X,” Peggy says. “Somewhere I used to work. I thought if I was making references to my wartime past, I might as well go all out. I don’t think this one sounds quite right, however.”

Remembering the Leviathan and feeling briefly biblical, she jots down: _Joint Operations Bureau (JOB)_. Then she dismisses it as too vague. Or how about— _Centre of Assessment and Protection (CAP)?_   Yet that doesn’t seem to fit, either.

Of course, she realises that she doesn’t have to frame the name’s initials as an actual word, and she could just throw the letters together like how the SIS does. But she wants something snappy, something coherent and sharp and meaningful. This is a legacy, as much as the one that Captain America left behind.

Peggy is frowning, her tea left cooling and untouched at her side, and she’s waiting for inspiration to come to her.

She could ask Howard for ideas, as he’s a co-founder of this brand new agency himself. But she supposes he would suggest using his initials, or perhaps using a name that is as frivolous and absurd as some of his inventions…and somewhere along this train of thought, she finds herself scribbling the name down.

It takes her a couple of tries to get the words right, but eventually, she settles on one.

~~_Secret Homeland Intelligence Ensurance Level Directorate_ ~~

~~_Special Homeland Information and Enforcement Logistics Division_ ~~

_Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (SHIELD)_

When she looks up at Jarvis, he’s smiling. “Yes,” he says. “There it is.”


End file.
